How Hot Does Propane Burn?

The high temperatures add to the fuel’s efficiency

When propane is in a tank it is in a liquid form. And, as you may remember from one of your science classes, liquids expand as their temperatures increase. This is why a propane tank should only be filled to the 80% full mark – you need extra room to allow for the fuel’s inevitable expansion. So based on this, we know that propane naturally heats up and gets warm.

When it is in use and powering and fueling appliances, equipment and machinery, propane is essentially burning. While this doesn’t necessarily mean it produces a flame, heat is certainly still involved.

How hot propane gets when it burns

Both propane and natural gas burn at a temperature of 3,560˚ Fahrenheit. However, the fuels differ in terms of their resulting combustion products.

One cubic foot of natural gas produces about 1,012 British Thermal Units (BTUs) of heat. Propane, on the other hand, produces about 2,520 BTUs per cubic foot. This is part of what makes propane so efficient. You simply don’t need as much propane to get a job done as you would if you were using natural gas to get that same job done!

A closer look at propane’s efficiency

Here’s a deeper look at how propane adds to the efficiency of an appliance or piece of equipment:

• Propane-powered water heaters usually have some of the highest recovery rates (this is the amount of water the unit can heat in a set period of time) and first-hour ratings (the amount of hot water your heater is able to deliver) that are currently available.
• Propane cooking ranges are able to provide practically instant and adjustable heat to whatever chef is using them. You don’t have to wait for your range to heat up before you start cooking as you sometimes do when using traditional gasoline.
• Clothes dryers that are powered by propane can not only dry clothes faster than their electric counterparts can, but they can also do this while creating fewer wrinkles and less static cling.
• Propane fireplaces have exceptional fireplace efficiency ratings – we are talking 90% or better!

Propane offers more than efficiency

Seeing how efficient propane is may be reason enough for you to hop on board with the fuel. But propane actually offers so much more than efficiency. It also:

• Helps customers save money on their utility bills
• Is non-toxic, clean burning and considered green, all of which makes it environmentally friendly
• Is versatile and can be used to power and fuel a long list of appliances, equipment and machinery around both homes and commercial spaces
• Is very convenient for both homeowners and business owners thanks to its versatility

Propane services from Allied Propane

If your Bay Area home or business needs propane or propane services, look no further than Allied Propane. We have been servicing the Northern California area for over 40 years and are the leading provider of propane energy in the area.

Allied Propane has an automatic delivery option, tank monitoring services and we can even handle propane tank installations.

Contact Allied Propane today and let us know how we can help with your propane needs.